An article I read on the topic of deciding a major reported
that all incoming college students are likely unprepared to choose a major that
best fulfills their academic, personal, and vocational goals. With this in mind, the article suggests that
institutions delay major choice deadlines until at least the second year, once
the students are more “developmentally ready and educationally prepared to make
an effective choice.”
According to the same studies, it
was found that approximately 20% to 50% of students enter college without
having decided their major. Also, about
75% of students change their major at least once through the course of their
college years prior to graduation.
A study conducted by the College Student Journal (a survey of
about 800 students) revealed that students were choosing their majors based on
influence from peers and family and on assumption “rather than through an
understanding of their own personal goals and values.”
All of these statistics go to show
that firstly, if you are undecided, you are definitely not alone. Secondly, once you do decide on a major, it’s
not a bad thing at all if you don’t end up sticking with that, it’s natural and
acceptable to change your mind. Thirdly,
it is hard to not be influenced by all those around you, especially when those
people are very opinionated or vocal. It
is best if you try to ignore all of these other opinions of friends,
classmates, family members and extended family and just do what is suited for
you and what you will enjoy and put effort into.
-Golda
"The
Pennsylvania State University Division of Undergraduate Studies." The
Mentor. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
The post is great and makes some really good points. My question is do you think it could be beneficial for a student to go into school undecided even though think they know what they want to do?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post. It makes being an undecided student seem like they aren't the only ones going threw being undecided which a lot of times you can feel when everyone around you already knows their major and that it is okay to not come into school knowing what you want to do right away.
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